Famous Monsters

For the magazine, see Famous Monsters of Filmland.
Famous Monsters
Studio album by
the Misfits
ReleasedOctober 5, 1999 (1999-10-05)
Recorded1999
Genre
Length44:42
LabelRoadrunner
ProducerDaniel Rey, Ed Stasium[1]
Misfits chronology
Evillive II
(1998) 		Famous Monsters
(1999) 		Cuts from the Crypt
(2001)
Singles from Famous Monsters
  1. "Scream!"
    Released: September 1999
  2. "Descending Angel"
    Released: 1999

Famous Monsters is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band Misfits, released on October 5, 1999. It is the second in the post-Danzig era of the band, and the last album to feature Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, Michale Graves, and Dr. Chud, who would all quit the band in 2000.

Album information

The album's title is an allusion to the horror/sci-fi magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland, from whom the Misfits borrow their classic logo font. The UK release also exclusively includes the song "1,000,000 Years BC", which was later re-released on Cuts from the Crypt in 2001.

The song "Scream!" was turned into a music video directed by George A. Romero. In addition, the band appeared in Romero's film Bruiser. "Kong at the Gates" was the theme music for WCW alumnus Vampiro.

The song "Descending Angel" was re-recorded and released as a single in 2013, with Jerry Only on lead vocals.

The song "Helena" is based on the film Boxing Helena.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[3]
Kerrang![4]
  • CMJ (10/18/99, p. 36) – "treads familiar Misfits territory...this classic band shows why it's one of the most revered names in punk rock."

Track listing

All tracks are written by the Misfits (Michale Graves, Jerry Only, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, and Dr. Chud), except where noted[2][5]

No.TitleLength
1."Kong at the Gates (Instrumental) (based on King Kong)"1:22
2."The Forbidden Zone (based on Planet of the Apes)"2:23
3."Lost in Space (based on Lost in Space)"2:27
4."Dust to Dust" (Misfits, Daniel Rey)2:43
5."Crawling Eye (based on The Trollenberg Terror)"2:22
6."Witch Hunt"1:31
7."Scream!"2:33
8."Saturday Night"3:28
9."Pumpkin Head (based on Pumpkinhead)" (Contains line of "Pumpkinhead", written by Ed Justin)2:16
10."Scarecrow Man"3:10
11."Die Monster Die"2:00
12."Living Hell" (Misfits, Rey)2:54
13."Descending Angel" (Misfits, Rey)3:46
14."Them (based on Them!)"2:43
15."Fiend Club"2:52
16."Hunting Humans" (Misfits, Rey)2:06
17."Helena (based on Boxing Helena)"3:20
18."Kong Unleashed (Instrumental) (based on King Kong)"0:46
Total length:44:42
European and Japanese edition bonus tracks[6]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
19."Devil Doll"Doyle, Graves3:12
20."1,000,000 Years B.C."Only2:22
21."Helena 2"Graves, Doyle3:21
Total length:53:37

Personnel

Chart positions

Chart Peak Position
Billboard 200 138[7]

References

  1. ^ "Ed Stasium | Credits". AllMusic.
  2. ^ a b Huey, Dave. "Famous Monsters: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  3. ^ Popoff, Martin (2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 283. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  4. ^ Greenway, Mark (October 2, 1999). "Albums". Kerrang!. No. 770. EMAP. p. 46.
  5. ^ Misfits (1999). Famous Monsters (CD). New York City: Roadrunner Records.
  6. ^ Misfits (2001). Cuts from the Crypt (CD). New York City: Roadrunner Records.
  7. ^ "The Misfits Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard charts. Retrieved 2009-09-25.


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